Trench defense



July 17, 1923. 1,461,963

J. BIENECK TRENCH DEFENS E Filed Jan. 24, 1923 l3 I Ill/l L l Ll L Ll Lk7y'l INVENTOR BY g;-

ATTORNEY Patented July 17, 1923.

A UNITED STATES JOSEPH BIENECK, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

[FRENCH DEFENSE.

Application filed January 24, 1923. Serial No. 614,525.

To all whom it may concern: a 1

Be it known that I, Josnrn Brannon a citizen of United States, residin at an Antonio, in the county of Bexar an State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trench Defenses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in trench devices as used in warfare and has as one of its objects to provide a disappearing strong house or fort that may be entered from an open trench and which afiords security to its occupants.

A further purpose is to provide a structure that can be raised or lowered and when in a a lowered position, covered with soil or otherwise concealed'so as to be indistinguishable.

These objects are attained by' the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereafter described and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which v igure' 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the invention in a raised or operative position. Figure 2 is a similar view of the same in a lowered or hidden osition.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the spaced arrangement of the recesses relative to the trenches.

In the drawing, the numeral 5 designates generally the level of the soil in which is dug a trench 6 and leadinglaterally therefrom are recesses 7. t

Loosely contained in these recesses are rectangular structures 8 preferably made of armor plate, provided with an opening normally closed by a door 9, the same providing means of access from and to the trench 6.

In the upper part of the structure 8 are a plurality of loop holes 10 through which rifles may be projected and a view of the vicinity obtained when the structure is elevated, these openings also providing -for ventilation.

A supplementar cover 11 is provided, the same consisting o a heavy sheet or'plate of armor, exceeding the dimensions of the top plate of the structureand having fixed in its under surface a plurality of support pins 12 adapted to make contact with the roof of the structure, the edges of the cover 11 extending into grooves 13 formed in the soil so thatwhen the entire structure is in a lowered position as to be level with the soil.

This arrangement presents a secure retreat for soldiers. from which they can conduct warfare and as the top plate can be covered with dirt when the structure is lowered is not readily observed by the enemy.

These structures are adapted to be raised or lowered, relative to the bottom of the trenches, by their occupants, the same actuating elevating mechanisms, as for example, the screw 14, set in a nut in the bottom of the structure and impinging on a plate 15, as shown, but it is to be understood that other devices for achieving the same results ma be substituted.

-n Figure 3, the general arrangement is shown, in which the recesses 7 are indicated as spaced at intervals along the trench 6. Having'thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a military trench having lateral recesses, armored structures disposed in the recesses at spar-ed intervals, sald structure being adapted to protect its inmates, loop-holes in said structure, means for ingress and egress thereto, means for raising and lowering said structure, and a supplementary fiat roof thereoveradapted to be disposed level with the soil.

2. In a military trench having lateral rc- JOSEPH BIENECK. 

